Stringed instruments such as guitars, violins and the like which are commonly hand held are normally stored in a hand-carrying case until needed for use. At such time the instrument is taken from the case and usually placed on a separate stand, or in those situations where the case itself is used as a stand or holder, the case is opened or extended to a fully opened or a substantially opened position in order that the case may stand in an upright position. In other situations the case may be provided with elaborate and complex moving parts involving additional hinged surfaces than what are normally provided for such cases in order to convert the case into an instrument holder. The need thus arises for a conventional case for such an instrument having no more than the requisite conventional parts, such as a bottom and top hinged together in the conventional position, to be used as an instrument holder in which, further, such cases need not by fully extended to an open position in order to stand upright and not take up any more space than what would be required for a closed case in an upright position. Such needs arise, naturally, in crowded circumstances under the actual conditions of musical performance on stage. In such situations it is difficult or impossible to either lay a case flat or extend it in a fully opened position, either upright or on its side.